Variety (November 1961)

VARIETY'S", ‘LONDON. OFrics @ Bt. James's Street, Piccadilly . INTERNATIONAL 18 Us. Pinay to ‘Ttalian Govt. Ak About Continuance of Dubbing Fee Vs. Yas | Rome,. Nov. 14. A note: of. protest: over the continued levying of a 5,506,000 -lire ($8,800) _ per picture: dubbing ‘fee _against’ American pictures. is un-} derstood to have’ been delivered -to | ; the. ‘Italian ‘Foreign ‘Ministry . “by the U.S. Embassy . here. . Note ‘is Said to argue that the levy, in force since 1949, as violates both the GATT: and the .-ItaloAmerican /Treaty.of Friendship, ‘Commerce, and Navigation. -It also asks that it: ‘be rescinded. ©: Dubbing’: tax, .or “fee,” as -itis “Tegally described, is a. proviso contained in the Italo“American *.(MPEA-ANICA) film agreements signed ‘since that, time: It's estimated that, allowing for the : varying number of U.S. “Imports, into Italy each year,’ as wellas the: “exemptions” awarded. ‘American distribs here if they release a-certain number of Italo pix during year, the. ‘total ‘yearly. dubbing fee is.in ‘the vicinity ‘of $1,500,000. Money, .elause. itt ‘the Italo’ film‘ aid legis lation, goes into a. fund © admin-|4: istered by. the Banca: Nazionale dei | ° Common Market ‘This fund, . as of last June 30,” if one}: ‘adds to: this: total about $2 080,000 | Lavoto .reserved for. the. aid and finance of Italian’ proguctions.. totaled some _ $12,000,000.. ~ refunded to Yank companies in the period, -the resulting. total of some | the approximate i ‘com-{ panies . Since 1949 (up to June}. 30) Tast-into Italian eoffers via the _—~ dubbing: fee route. ° $14, 080. 000 is total paid: by.. Yank The Embassy light: of reports .¢urrent here that the: Italian Film Aid -Law. which /.expires next Dec. 31,. may have to be extended once more, because: of: ‘the short time’ -Italo legislators have to discuss and vote. the vyari-| “ous. intricate proposals for a new] law. With it,.of course, the dub‘ping fee would likewise. be €x-i tended, continuing the drain: on! Yank company :coffers. It's ‘argued © ‘in “Wank pix circles here, moreover, that dubbing tax,. first -applied in ‘days, of Italian. pic. -industry hardship is Now. unreal| istic. Especially. is. it in. light. of. -the current optimistic and .rosy situation obtaining. in -the local}. ‘film. industry .and -in. the Italian economy in general Seeks Goy’t: Funds For Permanent Housing Of French Film Museum) Paris, Nov. 1. -Culture Minister Andre Malraux |. has asked: that $180,000 be added to his film budget to bring to fruti‘tion. the long-promiséd, new and ‘permanent housing. for the French: Film Museum, the. Cinematheque Francaise. It has been in ‘tempo-! rary quarters. since ‘the. Tast. was’. He probably will get. it, This means that the Film Museum will | go. underground at the Palais De Chaillot where a new, modern}: screening room for 430 will be con-] ‘structed. Museum. also ‘will. have |: the right wing of this two pronged building ‘for its. museum. exhibits | of ‘old material, ‘costumes, sets, etc. The: Museum, under. Henri Lan ‘glois, gives three screenings per | night of old, new and even unre leased films.. It also pays homage |. ‘to living ‘and dead filmmakers via. weeks of their ‘pix. ‘Langlois, Esiner and Mary Meersen, also prepares retrospectives for film fests ‘as well as. exchangés with .other national film archive. setups, ways packed at showings, film buffs ‘will find pleasant, uncluttered surroundings next June when -the . Museum..is slated to: move ‘to its new. quarters. Prep *Sheidow! in’ Singapore . ' ‘Singapore, Nov. 14. An original screenplay; “Cast the Same Shadow,” by Han Suyin, | author of. “A: Many Splendored’ Thing” and’ “Destination Chungking,” is-to be: made into a $700,000 production. It will -star Jill Ha-| ’ worth, 16-year-old English girl re-. cently in “Exodus” (UA), according to Tom Hodge, executive producer | of Cathay-Keris Film’ Productions, | _ Singapore. British: Prods. May Get . ; ‘London,. Noy: 14. --Overtures ‘by British film producers to the National Film Finance: ‘Corp... for ¢ better advances te film makers to meet overheads are council’s. meeting that a’. further ‘been made. . cient regard was being paid to the Better NFFC. Break ||: likely to reach fruition: by the end |}. of the year.. Lord Archibald, chair-|.. man ‘of. Federation of British Filnr] |) Makers, .said: last week. after his|] °° letter was being: sent to the. -NFFC j and that. satisfactory progress had 1 _ British producers had. com-| plained to the NFFC that -insuffi producer who invested: ‘substan-| tial sums in developing. a “Property : Vet Midwestern. Exploitesr Howard Pearl . whe was on a recent. visit ‘to . ‘Moscow reports . Russe Theatres: Shabby. But Femme Administrators Affable a a 56th: Anniversary Number ot Annet a hia other statistical and | dete ited chorts ond articles. Film Biz Down Cuba Turns Down Mex British Film Biz Ponders What Wil Happen to Eady Plan, Quota, NFFC When Britain Joins Common Mart Coin Unfreeze Quest | México City, Nov. 7. A three-man producer commit ''tee comprised of Raul de Anda, ‘Gregorio Wallerstein and Maric | Zacarias, who spent $4,000 to talk with Cuban officials about release of around $500,000 oved by Cuba for exploitation of Mexican pictures, has returned empty handed. : However, all wére optimistic that there was “god will” to pay the outstanding debt. Raul de Anda said they had not got to see’ “Fidel Castro. Ruz personally, but had London, Nov. 14. Hot topic for the British film industry at the moment is what will happen if and wken Britain joins the Common. Market, with entry.into ECM regarded as more or*less a foregone conclusion. item was high on the agenda at last week’s meeting of the Federation of British Film Makers, when it was agreed that producers could not minimize the dangers to the Eady Levy, the Quota and the National Film Finance Corp. However, special’ attention was drawn to the provisions of clause 92 which lays down that among the aids which may be deemed to be compatible with the Common which ‘eventually came ‘to ‘nothing. and ‘that:the loss had to be carried | by subsequent: productions: It now seems as if the NFFC has accepted |. In Many Major been in talks with Ernesto “Che” : Market are “such other eategories Guevara;. Raut Cepero Bonillo, lof aids as may be specified by head ‘of the Cuban National Bank, "| decision of the council acting by and the’ assistant Secretary of For-{ means of a qualified majority vote via , : another} protest _ attains | “even greater ‘importance..in the: “seconded by Lotte. Al-. prepared: to adjust the allowance, . To Hold French a ’ Paris,. Nov. 14 “Recent. events: in the .Common. Market setup probably. will change Film: Aid outlooks ‘in. France. It that new measures: to help. back ‘and © ‘stabilize. production in. this country | soon -will::go into effect.. ‘duced: eyéery two years, as. of 1959, -until .it| was ; ‘done away with’ by+ 1968. This was to be. accomplished . | by lowering admission. price. ‘taxes || [ progressively. and ‘also via: Aid handouts to producers:: That is the -6%: on local grosses. and. the 25% on foreign income, which were to}. go towards a procucer’s’ next pic_ture would ‘become 5% “and 207% réspectively ‘in 1963,. ete. Exhibitors were: cut off from. Aid. but were supposed ‘to. make up for it by the lowering ‘of taxes. -But exhibs have been sorely. béset be-cause of the Jack of.a ‘promised | detaxation while producers have |: ‘pointed’ out the need. for continue | Jing aid because of slow cinema | ‘attendance. ., -But the main reason. for ‘diminished Aid was: that West Germany !did not have any. France ‘and. Italy decided . fodo away with it to ease “eoproduction. |: with Germany. .However-Germany was.-forecd: into..Aid itself and, with Great Britain and’ its Eady Plan due.in the CM ‘soon, it be -eame evident. that France and Italy would ‘Maintain ‘the Aid setup. the light: and will’ probably hold year ers also has come up. with -a' plan ‘to help commercial films via’ a distributors investments and to be repaid after the release of : the -effect. main part ‘of the French film: industry." WB Reported Leaving MPDA Down Under} ‘Sydney, Nov. 7. ‘Warner Bros. will exit from the. ‘Motion: Picture Distributors Assn. | here: following the. required six. months. notice. No official: reason}. was given for the. action, but it's cutives failed to see eye-to-eye with 20th-Fox. long out of the associamediately. following worldwide Eric Johnson: the producers’: ‘point of view and. is} ‘Lthe. same: period a. year ago. Ac ‘|man Film. Industry (SPIO), the. Film Aid As Is) now..seems ‘certain. that. such aid: will be maintained indefinitely and | Originally“ all Aid was ‘to ‘be re-'| © |with only 95 turned: out in 1960, a ‘such’ help. around $26, 500, 000. “Jt seems that’ the governmental ‘Centre Du Cinema ‘also has. seen. “handouts at this year's’level. Ad‘vances. on Aid to films which: show | ‘quality arid possible. difficulties” in|} ‘commercial runs: have: been kept}. up: About. $1,800.000-“has been given. out. to specialized: films: this: The Syndicate: of! Film “‘Produc: ‘guarantee of up .to 50% to lighten. film. It looks. like it will go into ‘Hence, Aid appears: likely: to: re understood ‘the . distributor's: exe-: the association: on. policy: matters. ‘tion, will bow back: in. again: imgreenlight by Spyros ° ‘Skouras: and | Local: owutht. is |. : headed by Neil Ackland: . German Keys Frankfurt, Nov. 7. A study of 48 of the major citiés of West Germany for the. first half |of. 1961 reveals that the number |of. cinemas is down about 4% jcording. to a'report from: the ] Spitzen “Organization of the Ger number of film. houses” in the o cities studied had. fallen by 69 to'e total of 1,584: cinemas. ‘Attendance reached a total of -93;300,000 in the first six months in those cities, a decline from the] 106,100,000 tickets sold in the com-: parable period of 1960 in the same cities: That represented adip of} sabout 12°¢. in. business.. However, in Heidelberg film biz remained just. about the: same for the first six .months:of both years: But in. other cities, trade was off as rauch as 15%. ‘The. motorization of the coun: try, the. five-day week, which means: that any people journey away. from: home for’ the weekend: and the influence of. tele, all. have ‘affected: film grosses Ore . result is that: fewer : films are: being produced in: Germany, ‘drop of. eleven from the previous year. Meanwhile. however, the ma| jor:.Common Market lands ‘of France and Italy have inereased their. production with government. ‘help, the SPIO study. revealed. German films did better outside of ‘the .homeland last year than they had. done previously, how| ever, The German: Export Union ‘reported grosses of. around $6,750,000 in 1960. as. against about $6,000,000 grossed ' outside of Ger‘many in 1959. Total number of +ickets sold in 1960 was 610,000,000, a decline. of 61,000,000 from 1959.. And,. complain the exhibitors, of their total income of about $217,250,000 they chad to. pay entertainment ‘taxes of Attendance, Bz Deals Show Another ‘Therease at Milan Film Trade Fair + Scientists and technicians from Milan, Nov. #, Attendance and biz transactions at. Milan Film Trade Fair (MIFED). have shown another rise, according to. ‘figures just released. by the ‘toppers following the windup of. the. fourth. semiannual affair in the north Italo ‘city. Fair had to]. J be extended. by one day -to ac|; commodate participants requests for extra screenings. ‘About. 392... different . -organiza ‘tions were repped at this year’s fall ‘ainst 243 for last : MIFED. as ag year, with both” ‘Italian and for ‘eign companies. on. the rise. Like‘wise ahead of 1960 totals are the .t films entered (570 for 1962 vs. 336 for 1960). as well as the hours of | projection racked up by. pix entered for sale at the event . Several important conclaves | were held during the fall MIDFED, first of all a self-termed “summit meeting” -on the subject of video‘tape applications in the future for both the film and tele industries. Additional Foreign News On Page 15 from | doors: to patrons on Sunday: nights, and are being given full permis thas come. from church authorities. With the. spread of tele, which evening ‘during the week. land: town, said: “We find Sunday trons are just as-regular in ‘Philips, Ampex, Marconi Wireless, . | local. film industry at the In ter eign Relations, Carlos Olivares 5 Sanchez. The Cuban officials pro-* posed that payment might be made ; via sending raw materials‘ but no definite agreement was reached. | Of Scot Trend To Sun. Films Dundee, Nov. 7. There are obvious signs from ail parts of Scotland that the age-old opposition ta opening of cinemas on Sundays is disappearing. More houses are throwing open their ston to do so from local authorities. ‘Hitherto, the main opposition means that light entertainment ifs readily available Sundays from two channels, the campaign from religious bodies appears to be abating. _ Two cinemas in Montrose, East Scotland town, the King’s and Playhouse, will continue to open on alternate Sundays for another year. Customers are flocking to both cinemas from. miles around. Attendance has risen strikingly at the Regal Cinema, Brechin, where the average Sunday night audience is now double that of any The manager of the Palace Cinema, Arbroath, another East Scot performances serve a definite need. It isrt. just the teenagers who come. Our regular weekday paattending on Sunday.” several. countries attended this meeting, {ncluding reps of RCA, Ferrania, RAI-TY, German, French, British, Belgian, Swiss and Italian tele experts. Next meeting of group will be held next year !nBritain. Topics. covered in various discussions and demonstrations of the videotape session included: new methods of magnetie taping of images, including a demonstration of .a simplified single-headed recording system; videotape applications in the field of aviation and radar controi, and sirport traffic control via closed circuit e Among other confabs held in Milan. during the fourth session, which was also attended by. Italian Minister of Entertainment Alberto Folchi, were a general assembly of producers of ad films for tv and theatre use: meetings between Italian and Austrian and Italo and Japanese: pix industries. ANICA topper: Eitel Monaco repped the national ‘talks, while MIFED prexy G. _M. Franci hosted the entire proceedings. on a proposal of the commission.” Amplifying Federation's point of View, Lord Archibald, chairman of the FBFM, said that his organization was in close contact with the Board of Trade and with individual members of Parliament, and the situation was being closely watched. He felt it was premature for producers to consider more positive action on this point, but emphasized that it would be up to the industry to insure that Britain’s representatives took advantage of the safeguards in the Rome treaty, to protect the well-being of British production. Though it was a bit early to tell, Lord Archibald believed that entry into the Common Market would not restrict the volume of production. He was confident that the quantity of British films would continue to rise, not necessarily because of acceptance into the ECM, because the British industry was developing more creative talent. French Council Acts To Place Boisanger Back In Old C-F Position Paris, Nov. 7. Charles De Boisanger, who was ousted as head of the ComedieFrancaise in January of 1960, after serving 10 months, by a decree of Culture Minister Andre Malraux for raising F-C almission prices without his permission, has been reinstated by the State Council. The council overruled Malraux and maintained De Boisanger was within his rights. This technically leaves an awkward situation because senior C-F actor Maurice Escande has been running the C-F, since De Boisanger left the post, with success. It is not known whether De Boisanger will seek to get back his position or whether he wanted satisfaction in proving that Malraux had abused his powers in sacking him. Technically, De Boisanger, who was named for a sixyear term in 1959, could insist on going back and serving till April in 1964. Or he could demand being paid off for the period. De Boisanger might probably run into trouble if he tried to get back in since the C-F seems more than satisfied with Escande. ‘So De Boisanger will probably take a job with another administration. He was a former ambassador before being tagged for the C-F job by Malraux, and then fired. IRISH CINEMAS’ TAKE OFF 257 IN5 YEARS Dublin, Nov. 14. Cinema admissions in Ireland have dropped 25% in the last five years and are still declining, according to Harry Lush, newlyelected president of Theatre and Cinema Assn., in his first talk to members. He commented on the current shortage of product and also took a potshot at film critics, telling them that “they should soft-pedal somewhat and give due consideration for the many difficulties which confront the trade at the moment.” Lush is general manager of ‘Adelphi, ABC-controlled city cen|tre theatre.